Process for treating electrometallurgical products.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK]. TONE, 'OF'NIAGAR'A FALLS, NEWYDRK, ASSIGNOR'TO THE CARBORUNDUMCOMPANY, 'OF'NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, A. CORPORATION 01?.PENNSYLVANIA.

PROCESS FOR TREATING ELECTROMETHLLUBGI'CAL "PRODUCTS.

1,099,674. NoDrawlng.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that :I, 'FRANK J. TONE, aresident of Niagara Falls, in the county of Niagara and State of NewYork, haveinvented a new and useful Process for Treat-- ingElectrometallurgical Products, ofwhich the following is a full, clear,and exact description.

My invention relates to electrometallurgical products, which areordinarily used for abrasive or refractory purposes; and its ob ject isto so treat them as to remove certain impurities from these products andincrease their bonding qualities. This treatment is suitable for a largenumber of electrometallurgical products, such for instance, as carbidsof silicon, boron, titanium, the aluminous products from ores ofaluminum such as bauxite and aluminous silicates, and the productsformed by smelting aluminous ores with other oxids such as titanium oxidand silicic oxid. 'In the formation of these electrometallurgicalproducts, impurities in the raw materials used cause certain impuritiesin the products, usually carbids and silicids' of iron and aluminum, ormetallic alloys. The impurities act in a manner very detrimental to thebond used to form abrasive or refractory articles. If a vitrified binderis used, the impurities flux the bonding materials and prevent theformation of homogeneous articles, and with many adhesive binders theyreact with the binding material so as to decompose it and prevent theformation of abrasive or refractory articles of any strength or wearingqualities. These impurities can be partly separated by mechanical means,but it is found that they often adhere so closely to the abrasivematerial that it is impossible to remove them by other than chemicaltreatment. I have found that by suitably treating such products withchlorin, these impurities can be largely or wholly removed and thebonding qualities of the abrasive materlals greatly improved.

In carrying out my invention, I preferably take theelectrometallurgical;products and crush them to the size or sizes mostsuitable for the abrasive or refractory art1- Specification ofIzetters'iatent.

Patented June 9, 1914.

Application filed Sptember17, 1910. SeriaLNo. 582,516.

' e substantially eliminated without affecting the abrasive materials.The length of treatment and the amount of chlorln required depend on theamount and composit1on of the impurities present; and I may vary thetreatment in order to suit the conditions that exist.- After thistreatment, the material may then be washed with water or dilute acid andbe otherwise treated as is found suitable for making abrasive orrefractory articles.

In removing impurities for example from the crystalline alumina-silicamaterial, made according to U. S. Patent No. 906339, issued March 17th,1908, to Frank J. Tone, I preferably place the chlorin in contact withthe suitably crushed material, which is heated to a temperature of 600to 1000 centigrade, preferably in a rotary kiln which is lined with asuitable material which is resistant to the chlorin gases, for example,with fused quartz, and it is so designed that the chlorin gases can bekept under pressure. The impurities to be removed are firstly, an alloyof iron titanium and silicon, and secondly, a carbid or suboxid ofaluminum, and under these conditions there are formed the chlorids ofiron silicon, titanium and aluminum, which are volatilized or areremoved by subsequent treatment with water or dilute mineral acid. Sincethese impurities are very intimately in contact with the abrasivematerial their removal roughens and makes irregular the surface of thegrain and causes it to have much better binding qualities. I have foundthat articles formed from material treated in this manner are veryhomogeneous in character and have increased stren th and wearingqualities.

I c aim:

1. The process of removing impurities from electrometallurgical productsused for abrasive or refractory purposes, which consists in treatingsaid products with chlorin gas in suflicient quantities to combine withthe impurities present.

2. The process of removing impurities from electrometallurgical productsused for abrasive or refractory purposes, which consists in treatingsaid products with chlorin ing said products with chlorin gas insufficient quantities to combine with the impurities present and thenremoving the reaction products formed by the impurities and the chloringas.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set in suflicient quantities tocombine with the impurities present and under the action of heat.

3. The process of removing the carbids and silicides which exist asimpurities in electrometallurgical products used for abrasive orrefractory purposes, vivlhicii consists my hand.

in treatin said roducts Wit ch orin under the adtion of heat andpressure. FRANK TONE 4. The process of treating electrometal- Witnesses:

RICHARD FRANoHoT,

lurgical products used for abrasive or re- PHILIP P. BARTON.

fractory purposes, which consists in treat-- I

